The transmission of infectious diseases among athletes in competitive sports has been known to be a problem for many years. Infectious agents are predominantly viruses but also a variety of fungi and bacteria. The more recent existence of drug resistant viruses and bacteria has made the risk to individual athletes and the team a more serious cause for concern. There are known cases where HIV and AIDS have been transmitted between athletes while the athletes have been playing in the open. Such an occurrence is in no way comparable to an entire team losing a playoff due to key players being sidelined. The transmission of HIV marks the end not only of a career, but a life.
The inventor has identified an important avenue through which infectious agents, including HIV and AIDS, have significant potential to be transmitted between athletes. In sports a ball used in the game is frequently handled by all athletes. Any individual who has wiped blood from an injury, or who has coughed because of lung irritation, has likely transferred infectious agents to the game ball. Within minutes several other players will successively handle that same infected ball.
In many sports, including football, baseball, and basketball, it is common practice for athletes to lick their fingertips to improve their grip on the game ball. Contact between the fingertips and tongues not only transfers that particular athlete's germs to the ball, but additionally wipes the germ laden fingertips, which have handled the dirty ball, clean on the tongue!